When I look at most of the 40-something comic strips in my local paper, and consider how they stand up to Terry's creation... Kixie blows them away. There will come a time when we all will say we saw it coming, but I'm going to say it first. 2002 is the year Kixie goes global.

Okay, continental. Editors are notoriously slow at catching on. This spring, syndicates will be passing around well worn issues of SIP TOO. Terry will negotiate a contract in the summer. With a proper launch, like 'Zits' got, it could peak in 2004 and run for decades.

And why will the first Kixie book be the hot Christmas gift for 2003? Girls will want to read about their plush toy. Boys will dig the slapstick. Women will relate and get nostalgic. Men will use it to support their theory concerning where women get their advice. Grandmothers, however, may be content with the clippings on their refrigerators. I wonder what could bring them on board... hello, focus group?

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